Chords of Possibility
by Speedy Speck
Summary: Elena helps Reno move something into his flat, though upon studying the living-room, she discovers a long-unused piano, which opens up unthought of possibilites for them both...One-Shot...Written for 'QueenAlla'


Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Sixty-Eighth Fanfic...Written for 'Queen Alla'...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better!!! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic!! Hope you enjoy!! :)

The young blonde took a deep, slightly strained breath as her fingertips dug desperately into the item's soft, cushioned smoothness, "Remind me again Reno...why am I doing this?"

"Because...you worship me, and it's your way of showing your appreciation of my greatness?" The smirk that hinted openly upon his thin, curled lips was one of trade-mark perfection.

Elena made a point to arch her left eyebrow slowly, "Oh yeah..."

Sarcasm dripped heavy upon her tone, and although her once warm, brown eyes were now being directed with a hint of menace, the red head seemed to be enjoying the display with an immense degree of amusement.

The pair simultaneously proceed to emit a series of arduous grunts, as they continued to heave the large piece of living room furniture up the remains of the stairwell, before proceeding towards the brightly-pained door of the Turk's flat, the shade supposedly taken from his own flame red locks.

"Where did you get this from anyway?" Her query ended with a tired sigh of relief, as she lowered her half of the sofa down upon the age-weary floor, whilst Reno went to unlock the entrance through which they needed to pass.

He slumped down upon the cushioned arm as he began to riffle through his pockets, the search for his keys being such an effort-filled activity, "Remember that target we silenced last week?"

The blonde's brow furrowed for a moment before realisation struck, and they rose to a rather impressive height, "You stole it?!"

"Well hardly, I mean...he is dead...it's not as if he's gunna file a complaint of anything..." His expression was one of complete ease, which melted away into a small smile of childish pride, as he pulled out a set of metallic pieces, jangling with a delightful lightness.

"But it's just...wrong!" Her arms crossed in protest, whilst her face pulled into a disapproving contortion.

Reno, whom was now busily trying to jam the supposedly correct key within the rust-brushed lock, let out a howl of laughter, "Erm, 'Laney...we killed the man! Doesn't that strike you as being somewhat lower down in the morals charter?"

Elena's mouth hung open, as her mind attempted to form some kind of witty response, "Well-"

"Exactly, now let's get this thing in, the kids round here will be coming back from school soon, and frankly..." He paused for a moment, as all his attention, for a split second, went into heaving the sofa back into his grasp, though as soon as the pair were once again in place, he continued, though now using a great deal more effort, "...I don't fancy having to deal with a bunch of over-excited, snotty-nosed brats...not after last time."

Elena cringed in apprehension, "Last time?"

"Yeah...last time..." As they positioned the piece of furniture within the door frame, the young blonde raised her brow to signal her want for a rather elongated explanation, "...let's just say one made a rather insulting comment about my hair...and then...somehow...ended with my EMR embedded in his ear."

It would have been an understatement to say the gasp she emitted was one of over-dramatic shock, "Oh my-Reno! What were you thinking?!"

"I'm a Turk 'Laney, I had to defend my reputation."

Although the red was obviously quite held in his conviction, Elena still made the point to shake her shake in disgust, as they proceeded through the entrance, before winding their way through the rather difficult hallway, and into the living room.

A dull thud echoed around the room as their grip loosened upon the sofa, allowing it to plonk down upon the dark-shaded carpet, whilst Reno nodded in satisfaction at its placement.

As the young red head admired his new piece of furniture, Elena took a few moments to study her co-worker's living space; she was not impressed, though that said, she was not that surprised either.

Although the flat was obviously one of considerable size, every single square foot of flooring and strip of wall paper seemed to be covered, or marked by something or another.

Her nose wrinkled slightly, as her line-of-sight crossed over a rather large large pile of old, stacked pizza boxes, though when it proceeded to fall upon the grand, wood polished, beautifully shaped item in the corner, all signs of dislike ebbed away, leaving in their place only a pure expression of adoration.

"I didn't know you had a piano..."

Her voice had sounded out at nothing more than a whisper, so much so, that at first the red head seemed rather unaware of her emittance, though when he finally came to realise her newly-focused interest, the young blonde had already made her way across the lounge and now sat upon the large, leather cushioned stool, positioned perfectly beside the instrument.

She stroked along the line of the hinge, before lifting it carefully, enjoying the gentle creak she received in response, "How did you even afford-" Elena halted swiftly, as a rather knowing assumption came over her, and she turned back, to face the red head, "...you stole this too didn't you?"

He nodded unashamedly, "Uh huh."

"Do you actually buy anything?"

The young Turk paused in thought for a moment, before raising his brow and shrugging, "Beer?"

She emitted a slightly amused sigh, before turning back to face the array of black and white keys, whilst Reno lazily strolled up behind her, his aquamarine gaze observing her with curiosity, "Anyway, why are you so interested? It's only a piano..."

Her fingertips brushed down a couple of the keys, "Do you not play it?"

"Yeah...course..."

His tone of rather unconvincing defence brought the blonde's lips to curl, and upon seeing her teasing expression, the red head proceeded to thump himself down upon the stall beside Elena's own form.

Without a word, the young Turk placed his hands upon the clean shaded keys and began to tap out something that sounded remarkably like chop-sticks, though the array of slipped notes and off-timed hits, made it sound rather more like someone had allowed their pet cat to use the piano as a playground.

As his hands retracted, he turned to face the blonde with a hint of hesitation playing underneath his smirk, "See..."

"Yes right, I see." She nodded rhythmically before swiftly bring the action to a halt, "That you're shit."

Reno's brow raised in surprise, "'Laney...I didn't think such language was able to pass your lips..."

"Maybe you're finally having an effect on me...'' She smirked lightly, before turning away, and continuing her observation of the instrument.

"So then...what about you? Got any experience with one of these?"

She smiled nervously at the query, "A bit...I mean, when I was a little girl...we had one, but...well I don't have time to play any more...let alone actually afford one."

Reno's own face brightened slightly at her cutely nervous display, and nudged her playfully on the shoulder, "Well go on...play me something."

It took a few moments, though eventually she seemed to come to a decision, "Ok, I will!"

As her fingertips took to the smooth, keyed surface, she muttered quietly, as though to herself, "I might be a bit rusty..."

The young woman's hands flowed against the instrument with an almost unmeasurable grace, with every note expelled from the concealed chords echoing with a deep, let delicate refinement.

True enough, there were a few, very small mistakes, but even then, the beautiful harmony being played out was out of a pure and utter brilliance, both in its lightness of sound, and perfection of rhythm.

As the performance came to an end, the red head let out a sigh of impressed amazement, "Doesn't seem like you need much practice to me.''

Elena's breath caught at the rather earnest compliment; she had assumed such a thing was impossible to receive from the young Turk.

Her warm, brown gaze met the red head's piercing aquamarine for the briefest of moments, before she turned away, a light pink hue forming upon the height of her cheeks; her girlish embarrassment receiving a small, playful smirk from Reno.

Elena sighed with longing as she stroked the various wooden curves, "Well, I have to go now, Tseng's got these papers he wants me to sign and-"

The young blonde attempted to rise, though before any measurable space could be put between her butt and the stool, she felt her wrist being encased within Reno's own five, fingered grasp, and soon enough she was pulled back down with a small puff of emittance from the leather coated seat.

"Wait a second." He took a steadying breathe, before allowing a very slight smirk to grace his lips, "I have a proposition for you..."

She hung her head back in tired annoyance, "I've told you before Reno, I'm not gunna spread any rumours about your 'size', not even for all the chocolate chip ice-cream in the wor-"

"No, it's not- just listen all right?"

She nodded, though her brow still furrowed in confusion.

"I'll give you this piano...I mean, you quite clearly want it more than me...but on the one condition, that you give me some lessons..." He came to a gentle stop and smiled, before quickly adding, "Free of charge, of course."

Elena seemed to study the red head for a couple of moments in a complete state of bafflement, before her composure melted away into a teasing chuckle, "I dunno…you seem like you'd be a difficult student.''

Her fellow Turk grinned cheekily, before winking flirtatiously, "Well, you'll just have to be strict with me…"

The young blonde punched him on the arm, before pulling him into an enthusiastically tight hug, "Oh thank you Reno!"

His own arms slowly wrapped around her waist, as a small smile played across his thin lips, "I'll take that as a yes then..."

"Oh course! Though, how about we keep the piano here? I know where you live, and it'll just be a fuss to move it over to mine...plus I don't know where I'd put it-"

She was interrupted by a rather coy looking Reno, "So you'd be coming over to mine then?"

"Well yeah...if that's ok?"

The grin she received was one of unadulterated delight, "Oh, that's fine..."

The blonde giggled quietly, as the red head continued to study her with his playful of-so-charming gaze, "So, when's my first lesson?"

She paused in thought, though only for a moment, "How about tonight? Say…seven o'clock?''

"It's a date..." A knowing smirk spread across his face, as his response received another, beautifully delicate smile from his female co-worker.

Although he knew he was, no doubt, in for a series of gruelling sessions with himself and that piano, Reno couldn't help but sense the newly opened attraction between him and Elena.

It was new.

It was unexpected.

It was completely ridiculous.

And utterly unworkable.

Just the way he liked it.


End file.
